Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Cristiano Ronaldo holds crisis talks with agent; club willing to offer €115 million for West Ham United midfielder, and more - 10 January 2022
Manchester United got the better of Aston Villa on Monday in the FA Cup. A first-half strike by Scott McTominay was enough to secure their passage to the next round of the competition.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo has held crisis talks with his agent Jorge Mendes regarding his future at Manchester United. Elsewhere, the Red Devils are willing to offer €115 million for a West Ham United midfielder.
Into the fourth round of the #FACup! 🔴
#MUFC
On that note, here's a look at the key Manchester United transfer stories as on 10th January 2022.
Cristiano Ronaldo holds crisis talks with agent
Cristiano Ronaldo has held emergency talks with his agent Jorge Mendes about his future at Manchester United, The Sun has reported. The Portuguese has been alarmed by the recent string of poor results, and is already considering his next move. The Red Devils have struggled in the Premier League of late.
Manchester United do not look like a team capable of winning a trophy at the moment. Ronaldo also has his reservations with interim manager Ralf Rangnick too, whose tactics have not yielded the desired results. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is disillusioned with how his move back to Old Trafford has panned out.
It's been five years since Cristiano Ronaldo was named the first-ever winner of The Best FIFA Men's Player award 🤩 https://t.co/W5q6xPkCX2
The Portuguese was looking to add to his legacy at United, but is worried the move could tarnish his image. Ronaldo is so stressed with the entire scenario that Mendes had to jet in to have a chat with his client. The two of them reportedly had a long conversation, where they discussed their next course of action.
A source close to the player revealed:
“Cristiano is very concerned about what is happening at United. The team is receiving a lot of criticism and he knows he is regarded as one of the leaders. There are quite a lot of problems, and Cristiano is feeling the pressure and is very stressed by the situation."
"He desperately wants his United move to be a success, but he is starting to recognise that winning trophies with the current set up could be a real struggle. Jorge came to see him and they spent time chatting through how things are going, what they think are the problems, how they might be solved and what the solutions may be. Nothing has been ruled out.”
The 36-year-old is tied with Manchester United until the summer of 2023, but a move before than that cannot be ruled out. Cristiano Ronaldo has been outstanding for the Red Devils this season, scoring 14 goals from 21 games across competitions. However, the team has massively underwhelmed.
Manchester United willing to offer €115 million for Declan Rice
Manchester United are willing to pay €115 million for Declan Rice, according to El Nacional. The Red Devils are looking for a new defensive midfielder this year, and are long-term admirers of the West Ham United star. Rangnick believes Rice's arrival would complete his midfield.
The player is also eager to make a move to Old Trafford. Rice is hungry for silverware, and could leave the London Stadium this year. The 22-year-old has a bright future ahead of him, and would be a fabulous addition to the United squad. The Red Devils hope that an offer of €115 million would convince West Ham United to sell Rice.
AC Milan interested in Manchester United's Eric Bailly
AC Milan are interested in Eric Bailly, according to Milan News. The Ivorian has struggled for minutes at United, and is ready to leave the club in search of regular football. Bailly has dropped further down the pecking order after the arrival of Raphael Varane last summer.
Milan are ready to offer the Ivorian a chance to get his career back on track. The Serie A side want to take the player on loan for the rest of the season, with an option to buy in the summer. However, they're also open to a simple loan deal.